The 100th Post Special!

A look back at 5 years on Substack!

Dec 29, 2025

It’s my 100th post here on Substack!

I know, I know, a hundred posts in five years (my first post was on September 30th, 2020!) might not seem like a lot - but since I like to nurture each post before hatching them, I’d like to think that 100 is worth celebrating in my case! 😄

(Okay, some of those posts were just announcement posts - but give me a break! 😅)

So, to begin with - thank you to everyone who’s ever taken the time to read my stories and/or my articles!

It means a lot to me that you took the time to read one of my pieces, and I hope that you’ve enjoyed them!

I love crafting stories, and I think that I would do it no matter what.

But, it’s no fun shouting into the void - so I really appreciate all of you who’ve made the time to read my work! 😄

And now, let’s take a look back…

Five Years of Stories and Articles

Looking back at my past 99 posts, I’m happy to say that the majority of those posts are still ones that I’m proud of! 60 short stories and 15 articles that I still like, if not love!

So, of course, we have to go through some of my favourites!

1) Mulan Searches for the Medicine of Immortality

I loved writing this one!

This was my tribute to the Chinese folktales and mythology that I had grown up with, and I got to do a lot of interesting research into the story of Hua Mulan.

It’s a more quiet tale in The Red Riding Hood Saga, focusing on Mulan’s mandated quest to find the medicine of immortality for her emperor, even after having already fought in a war for said emperor. And it details her struggles between her duty and her feelings in what I think is a beautifully-told story.

2) Red Riding Hood and the Tower of the Glass Coffin

This was the ending to the original trilogy of The Red Riding Hood Saga, and I knew that I had to end it perfectly…

And I think I did!

In it, Red Riding Hood finally confronts the Queen who had framed her for the murder of her beloved Princess Snow White, had her parents executed, and had forced her to go into hiding.

A perfect blend of action and drama, told with emotional narration from Red - I think this is still one of my best pieces!

3) Mirrors of the Snow Queen (Parts One, Two, and Three)

My big three-part epic where Lady Red Riding Hood, two knights, and a page have to confront the Snow Queen to rescue the abducted prince!

Oh, and I still love the way that I managed to work Cinderella into the story!

4) The Voyage for the Pale Blue Dot

A sci-fi story that looks ahead to how humans will still continue to retell stories in the future, while looking back at the hopes and dreams that were placed on the Voyager space probes.

This was the last piece that I wrote for Retelling Myths, and I think that it was the perfect way to end the 3 year long series - with a 33rd story retelling a tale from modern times.

5) Mordred at Camlann

A short piece focusing on Mordred as he deals the killing blow to his father - King Arthur.

I still love how the emotions of Mordred came together in this one!

6) Bedivere and the End of Excalibur

This piece focuses on Bedivere, who was tasked by a dying King Arthur to return Excalibur to the lake.

In contrast to Mordred at Camlann, it provides a more peaceful look at the end of Camelot.

7) The Sparrow & The Raven - The Creation of Dawn & Dusk

I never thought that I would write a poem!

But the imagery and the words about a sparrow sovereign who ruled over the domain of day and a raven monarch who ruled over the domain of night came to me one day, and I just had to write it down!

8) Zeta Gundam - Children Caught Up in Adults’ Wars

In Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, during a pivotal moment where the main character intends to stay behind to fight off two powerful opponents to let the leader of the rebellion escape, the leader responds with: “Do you think the world will be saved with youngsters like you losing their lives?! It’s not the elderly who will build the new era!”

And through that line came this article.

I wrote this during a time when it seemed like everyone around me was intent on dismissing the young - from colleagues who complained about “disappearing morals” amongst the youth to politicians dismissing student protestors. A time when it seemed like the old was intent that the young should always acquiesce to them - sacrificing themselves to the old.

It’s my plea that we remember we should be a guiding hand to those younger than us.

And it’s my plea to stop sacrificing the young for the old.

9) Spider-Man - “With great power...”

“With great power comes great responsibility.” is one of those proverbs/aphorisms that irks me a little. And that’s because the original line is actually “With great power there must also come -- great responsibility!”

The original line emphasizes that it’s a CHOICE that one has to (and should) make - that those with power should CHOOSE to be responsible with it!

I wrote this to remind people of that, and to also warn people that there will be those with power who choose not to be responsible with it.

10) Saved as Draft Episode 47: When is a Story Finished?

Okay, this one is technically not my post - it’s a podcast that I was interviewed on.

But I had such a great conversation with Bradley Ramsey that I had to list it as one of my favourites!

We go in-depth into some of my inspirations and some of my writing process! Please give it a listen if you haven’t yet!

Some Cool People

Of course, I can’t look back at five years on Substack and not mention some of the cool people that I’ve met!

So, here’s some of them!

Bradley Ramsey - whose podcast I was recently on, as mentioned earlier. I’ve also been slowly catching up on his D’Veen series, a very cool set of stories set in a world that combines fantasy and sci-fi! And, as mentioned, he runs the Saved as Draft podcast!
Ian Dunmore - I’ve enjoyed a lot of his stories! Check out A Harlot’s Tale, and then go check out the rest!
Hazel - I’ve been enjoying a lot of their poetry - most recently from their collection, Inside the Sun and Moon! They also run BookStack!
Daniel Sherrier - who writes the Terrific series, a superhero series which I’ve enjoyed immensely! And his articles about various comics, TV shows, movies, etc. are fun to read as well!
Lavinia Thompson - a fellow Canadian who just started her Beyond Cover serial, an undercover cop thriller!
Mina Howell - whose wild interpretation of the rings of Hell I’ve been loving so far in her Redemption is Overrated series!
Lisa Burvant Illustration - whose webcomic, Kiddo Green and the Three Pearls, I’ve been enjoying!
Melissa J Massey - a fellow Gundam fan and a cool comics creator! I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the Kickstarted The Alchemist of Aurillia!
Laura-Louise Slattery - a comics creator who just had a very busy year! I’m looking forward to her Lasair-Fhíona comic! And she just released Princess Pineberry And The Sky Paladins Of RAM as well!
Reina Cruz - whose Marredbury series I’ve enjoyed, but the stories are offline right now while they’re out for submission. (Good luck, Reina!) I’m looking forward to reading The Lake House when I get the time!